As a teacher, I've attended many workshops, sat through professional development sessions, and observed many schools to learn more about my profession and help perfect my craft. For NYCDOE pre-kindergarten teachers, there are many pre-k student non-attendance days where students are off from school, but teachers attend DOE provided workshops. In an earlier post, I've described them as professional regression workshops since most of the teachers who attend do nothing but complain about the system and their administrator. Not helpful at all.
My colleague and I decided to stop attending these regression sessions and instead, we'd start visiting schools that have a philosophy similar to ours, which is a child centered/influenced approach to education. All of the schools we've attended thus far are private schools where parents pay an arm and a leg for tuition. These are fantastic schools. I usually come out feeling very inspired and eager to implement new ideas but eventually become deflated due to the fact that our high poverty public school lack resources to obtain the same materials these private school has. Often, these schools have enormous space for their pre-kindergarten students alone, and the resources and tools in one classroom probably equate to the resources and tools of our entire school. Afterwards, I would usually spend a lot of money on materials inspired by these visits.
My colleague and I decided to stop attending these regression sessions and instead, we'd start visiting schools that have a philosophy similar to ours, which is a child centered/influenced approach to education. All of the schools we've attended thus far are private schools where parents pay an arm and a leg for tuition. These are fantastic schools. I usually come out feeling very inspired and eager to implement new ideas but eventually become deflated due to the fact that our high poverty public school lack resources to obtain the same materials these private school has. Often, these schools have enormous space for their pre-kindergarten students alone, and the resources and tools in one classroom probably equate to the resources and tools of our entire school. Afterwards, I would usually spend a lot of money on materials inspired by these visits.
Resources for Building Outside the Block has arrived!
We want to believe that everyone is created equal and ideally, every child should be given the same opportunity to become educated, exposed to all the wonderful things the world has to offer, and become successful in life. The reality is that this isn't the case. Not all schools are the same. Educational materials are expensive. I want to create the sort of environment those private schools have for my students without their parents needing to pay college tuition-like money. Donorschoose.org has given me the opportunity to moving one step closer to the ideal learning environment with each donation.
All of the schools I've attended have these large wooden hollow blocks. They are great building tools for kids, but are very expensive. Twenty of these blocks run about several hundred dollars. That was out of the question for me to ever buy. But I wanted my students to be able to build with things beyond the average wooden block. Great thinkers help change the world. How many new inventions have debuted as luxury items a few years ago, but have since become necessities? I believe children need to be exposed to new ways if we want them to develop a creative mindset. We want them to ask questions and create solutions for them instead of being fed answers to questions.
All of the schools I've attended have these large wooden hollow blocks. They are great building tools for kids, but are very expensive. Twenty of these blocks run about several hundred dollars. That was out of the question for me to ever buy. But I wanted my students to be able to build with things beyond the average wooden block. Great thinkers help change the world. How many new inventions have debuted as luxury items a few years ago, but have since become necessities? I believe children need to be exposed to new ways if we want them to develop a creative mindset. We want them to ask questions and create solutions for them instead of being fed answers to questions.
L.Z. creates an "Ice Cream Truck" with the new foam peg blocks.
I created a project on donorschoose.org called Building Outside the Block and requested new building materials. The unique building tools I requested are designed to help our students build beyond the blocks. With new approaches to building, my pre-kindergarten creators will view building from a new perspective as opposed to the standard block building. Creative thinkers who create innovative inventions think differently.
My goal as an educator isn't to give my students answers. Instead, it's to guide them as they look for different ways to find various solutions. I wish to create divergent thinkers who are able to adapt to a changing environment and are versatile when they are faced with challenges. Toys won't directly lead to this, but provide various opportunities to think differently. These new building toys arrived today and they have caused quite an excitement in our class. Already, kids are coming up with exciting new ideas to build with our new resources.
My goal as an educator isn't to give my students answers. Instead, it's to guide them as they look for different ways to find various solutions. I wish to create divergent thinkers who are able to adapt to a changing environment and are versatile when they are faced with challenges. Toys won't directly lead to this, but provide various opportunities to think differently. These new building toys arrived today and they have caused quite an excitement in our class. Already, kids are coming up with exciting new ideas to build with our new resources.
R.H. stands proudly next to his 'Robot Vehicle' as K.C. does the same next to his city.
H.L. hammers a peg into our new 'Really Big Builders' toys.
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L.C. completes his construction of a 'Flying House.'
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J.Z. proudly presents his robot constructed out of Zoobs.
And finally, no Mr. Andy post would be complete without a thinking map. Here's M.F. adding on to our circle map of things we can build with our new toys.
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